Universal rolling-mill



(No Model.) 2 Shets--Sheet 1.

A. REESE. UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILL.

No. 481.058. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Eatented Au A. REESE. UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILL.

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

ABRAM REESE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

U NIVERSAL ROLLING-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,058, dated August 16, 1892. Application filed November 25, 1891. Serial No, 413,151. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAM REESE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Rolling-Mills and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention has relation to rolling-mills for rolling iron and steel I-beams and channel-bars, and has for its object the provision of novel means for rolling such beams more accurately, rapidly, and economically than by any of the methods or appliances heretofore employed.

In rolling I-beams and channel-bars grooved rolls are now employed, the different reducing and finishing passes being made through separate grooves of graduated gage and shape, the mills being of the ordinary construction and conformable to the ordinary type of rolling-mill, the form and relation of the grooves being their only distinguishing feature.

In rolling I-beams for girders and general building purposes the ingots are very large and the rolls are subject to very great strain in consequence of the power and pressure required in reducing the web of the ingot and causing the flanges to fill thegrooves in both rolls. Many passes are necessary in rolling and finishing a beam of ordinary size and much time, labor, and expense entailed.

Grooved rolls are in themselves costly and are subject to very rapid wear, necessitating frequent returning and recutting, and ad- 3' ustinent is practically restricted to exact limits, these being entirely inadequate to the demands of the work to be done. Under the most favorable conditions, however, it is impossible to roll I-beams of accurate form and structure by means of grooved rolls, and the principal difficulty is in rolling the flanges so as'to produce and preserve the proper depth, surface, and angle and avoid irregularity and lack of fullness and finish on the edges and sides. The filling of the grooves of the rolls is dependent upon the pressure of the body of the roll between the grooves, the metal of the beam-in got being forced out from the Web 1. Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

toward the flanges and into the grooves the sides of which aid little, if at all, in the rolling and reducing action, their purpose and effect being simply to limit the spread of the metal. The sides of the grooves are not onlyineffective as reducing agencies, but are, in fact, obstacles and drags, opposing the free movement of the ingot and tending to hoist and tear the surfaces in which they are in rubbing but not in free rolling contact, impeding the uniform longitudinalstretch of the metal, as well as its lateral spread, and preventing in a great measure the complete filling of the grooves of both upper and lower rolls.

My present invention aims at entirely overcoming the difficulties above referred to, as well as many others met with in rolling flanged beams, and to this end contemplates the rolling of I-beams and channel-bars in and by a system of rolls constituting a universal mill, in which grooved rolls are entirely discarded and the obstacles to the production of a flanged beam of any standard size and of ac curate form and finish entirely eliminated, and by the mill embodying myinvention and the method of operatingthe same I claim to be able to produce such beams with less labor, more rapidly, and at less cost than now incurred in the production of imperfect beams.

Myinvention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section on the linema: of Fig. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on thelineyg of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line z z of Fig. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and E) are detail Views of the vertical rolls of the second pass with their bearing-blocks and adjusting devices. Fig. Sis an end view of the sliding yolie for adjusting the vertical rolls of the first pass. Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of a modified form of adjusting devices for the vertical rolls of the firstpass, and Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a part of the devices shown in Fig. 10.

' The mill is of a compound or double character and consists of two separate or distinct sets of rolling appliances for the operation of two separate and independent passes.

A A and B B designate the housings, respectively, of the two roll structures, and C C D D the horizontal rolls mounted therein. The rolls 0 C are employed in the first pass to which the ingot is subjected and, in connection with the vertical rolls 0 c c c, mounted on the same housing, are designed to roll and reduce the web of the I-beam and at the same to operate positively on the flanges of the beam, so as to determine the exact wid th and depth of the latter between the flanges and the proper corresponding depth of the flanges. For rolling I-beams the rolls C C, which are of the same size and structure and which in practice are to be of such weight and dimension as may be required, are formed each with a central enlargement, body part,or collar C upon or raised from the neck portions 0 of the exact width and shape as the space or channel between the flanges on one side of the beam can be produced. To make a channelbar,aplain roll is used as the top roll.

The lower roll C is mounted in stationary boxes E E, while the upper roll 0 is mounted in adjustable boxes E E of the usual construction and arrangement, suitable adj usting-screws E E rising above the housings and carrying hand or power wheels E E, being provided and the boxes supported on springs E E" or balanced in any convenient way.

The collars C are rounded on their angles, as shown at c, to correspond with the curve of the inner sides of the flanges of the beams, and between the periphery of the collars O and the body of the rolls the distance is exactly that of the projecting of the flanges from the surface of the web of the beam.

The vertical rolls 0 c c c, which operate in connection with the main horizontal rolls 0 C, are located,respectively, in front of and behind the rolls C Cand for the purposes of the lateral adjustment, which is a necessary function of these vertical rolls, they are mounted or journaled in grooved brasses or boxes ff, fitted to the edges of slots f in transverse bars f f attached to the lions ings A A in the usual manner.

The rolls 0 c c c are driven from the shafts (Z d by means of the beveled pinions (Z (1 the former being keyed to the spindles of the rolls and the latter provided with grooved collars d and adj ustably splined upon their shafts, so as to adjust with the rolls 0 c c c, the lower spindles (Z of which engage with the grooves in the collars d.

The rolls 0 c c c are fed or adjusted inwardly toward the collar C by means of the double wedge-shaped vertical slides G G, which play in boxes G G on theinnerfaces of thehous ings A A and pass through the slots f'f in the bars f f behind the boxes or brasses f f, in which the vertical rolls 0 c c 0 have their bearings, the inclined faces 9 of the wedges being outward or toward the boxes, so as to impinge against the latter and force them inward, according as the wedges are lowered. The sides of the boxes or brasses ff are beveled to correspond with the bevel or taper of the wedges, as shown at f f so that the contacting-surfaces shall be in easy sliding touch.

In order to take up and compensate for wear due to the friction of the wedges, I provide the devices shown in Figs. 10 and 11,in which II is a grooved and beveled block sliding in the slot f between the roller-bearing f and the wedge slide G, and carrying an upright threaded pin h, upon which is fitted the horizontal arm of an L-shaped adjusting-key h, the beveled limb 72, of which fits between the vertical side of the block II and the beveled side of the bearing f. Nuts L 'i are screwed upon the pin 7L, above and below the horizontal arm of key h, and provide a means for adjusting the key h, so as to move the block II toward the wedge, according as the contact-surfaces wear.

The wedges or wedge-slides G are operated through the medium of the horizontal shafts I I,journa1ed on the housings A A above the rolls 0 c c c and carrying the pinions i i i i engaging with the racks i, formed on the sides of the wedge-slides. On one end of the shaft I is secured a crank-arm I by which it is turned. This shaft carries, also, a pinion 1 which, through idlers I I and pinion 1 on shaft 1, communicate motion to the shaft 1. Hence by turning shaft I all four wedge-slides are simultaneously operated, and correspondingly all four vertical rollsc c c c are adjusted toward or from the central line of the mill exactly the same distance. This adjustment of the rolls and the mechanism for obtaining it I consider very important features of my mill.

It is essential to have all four rolls move exactly alike and by means readily controllable. The wedge-slides G and connections accomplishthis, and when the rolls are once adjusted they cannot be forced back or the wedge-slides moved by any pressure against their beveled surfaces, the rolls being thus practically locked in their places. \Vhen the wedge-slides G are raised, the rolls 0 c c c are free to move outwardly, and are so moved by the ingot passing through between them until further movement is arrested by the wedgeslides.

The appliances so far described constitute one complete part of the mill and have a definite work to perform. The first pass of the ingot, forged to such shape and dimensions as to pass into the bite of the rolls, is made through this part of the mill, and the first reduction of the web of the beam takes place under the action of the collars of the horizontal rolls 0 C. At the same time the edges of the beamflanges are rolled by the narrow portions of the horizontal rolls and the width of the beam determined by the vertical rolls 0 c c c, which, however, do not necessarily roll the metal, being out of such operative position. They tend, however, to prevent undue lateral IIO X spreading of the metal under the squeeze of the horizontal rolls 0 O and the bending'out ward of the flanges without the rubbing or tearing effect produced by the outer surfaces of the grooves in grooved horizontal rolls. The web of the beam is reduced in this pass, and at the same time and by the same horizontalrolls the flanges are rolled to a uniform depth and the channel of the beam accurately shaped to conform to the shape of the collar of the horizontal roll. After this pass the beam is in condition for a pass through the second section of the mill. This section, of which the housings B B area part, issituated any convenient distance back of the first section, so that the beam leaving the first pair of rolls enters the second pair.

The latter consist of the shafts D D and the central disk or collar portions D D the latter being of the exact width of the channel-spaces in the beams between the flanges that is, of exactly the same width as the collars on the first pair of rolls. The disks or collars D D are, however, of exceptionallylarge diameter, so as to leave ample space between the shafts D D for the accommodation of the vertical rolls M M and their fittings between the shafts and on line with the vertical centers of the shafts D D.

While in the first section of the mill the two horizontal rolls are worked positively from the power and their shafts gear together the lower roll D only of the second section is positively rotated from the power, the upper roll being turned by the friction of the beam. The Vertical rolls in this section of the mill do the positive rolling, while the horizontal rolls prevent the web from buckling and maintain the flanges from inward bending or crushing. The vertical rolls are M M and are mounted in U-bearings N N, which slide in frames n n, secured on the housings B B.

The bearing-pieces N N are beveled on their rear sides, and against the latter press window of the housing of the horizontal rolls,

the frames n it having shoulders n "a which abut against the inner sides of the housings B B, so as to sustain lateral pressure.

The wedge-slides 0 O are somewhat like the wed ge-slides G, by which the vertical rolls 0 c c c are adjusted, but have each but one beveled face 01 the slide being of full thickness for one-half its length and being then beveled and diminished to half this thickness, the mortises in the housings being of corresponding widths, so that the slides will move lengthwise only and without any lateral play.

The thinner portions of the wedge-slides O O extend outward from the housings toward the housings A A and are formed with racks P P on their upper edges, with which pinions 1? P engage to move the slides in and out, such pinions being mounted on a transverse shaft 19, journaled in boxes P attached to the housings and provided with a crank P The vertical rolls M M are adjusted toward the rolls D D by the inward movement of the wedge-slides and are moved outwardly by the pressure of the beam. The rolls M M are rotated positively from the shaft of the lower roll D by the beveled gears Q Q, the large gears Q being splined upon the shafts and provided with grooved collars q, with which the lower spindles of the vertical rolls engage, so that the gears are kept in operative engagement while the vertical rolls are adjusted.

When the mill is in operation, the vertical rolls MM are rotated at about the same speed as the vertical rolls 0 c c 0, so that the ingot emerging from the pass through the first section of the mill shall not be restrained or dragged. Power is conveyed to the rolls in any desired manner, and I have shown a convenient arrangement in which the shafts of the lower rolls are gear-coupled through gears R R. on their respective shafts and an intermediate idle-gear S on a separate shaft. The usual mill arrangement of shafts and gearing is of course adopted, the shafts proper of the rolls being unencumbered, the gearing being on outside shafts, which are coupled when necessary with the roll-shafts by suitable crabs.

It will be understood that the two sections of the mill constitute two separate and independent mills, but in respect to their operations and alternate usesform a train, one section being fed from the other and each dependent upon the operation performed by the other.

As previously stated, the first pass of the fresh unfinished ingot is made through the first section-that is, between the rolls 0 O and c c c c.

As the reduced ingot, having its web and flanges uniformly rolled, emerges and enters the pass of the second section,which is widened or enlarged to admit the end of the beam, the upper rollD D isloweredand the vertical rolls M M are moved inwardly by turning the hand-wheels s on adjusting-screws S of the upper roll and the pinion-shaft p until the rolls touch and slightly grasp the ingot. The

latter now passes from the first horizontal rolls and through the second, whereupon a further inward adjustment of the rolls M M is made and the operation of the mill reversed. The ingot is now fed back through the pass of the rolls D D M M and is positively operated on by the vertical 'rolls M M, which roll the outer sides of the flanges, properly reducing and evening them, the form of the web and of the inner sides of the flanges beingpreserved and the bending, contraction, or buckling prevented by the enlargements D D of the rolls D D. As the rolls D D are not called on to operate posi tively as reducing appliances and are not subject to any special strain, they need not be heavy in proportion. to their diameter, but may be hollow 0r webbed. The ingot in passing from these rolls again enters the first pair, but in an opposite direction from that of the first pass, and as it enters the rolls 0 c c c c are adjusted inwardly, so as to grasp the beam and the latter fed through. The mill is reversed, the rolls 0 c c adjusted, if necessary, and the first pass repeated, the operations and alternate passes being repeated until the beam is finished.

As will be seen, at no period is the ingot subjected to any bending, buckling, or other restraint which would interfere with the proper working of the metal or its uniform reduction. It is free to adapt itself to the exact form of each pass and the pressure is in the direction of forcing the flanges into proper shape and dimensions and of insuring evenness and uniformity.

IVhen it is desired to change the gage of the mill, the horizontal rolls are readily removed and others of difierent dimensions substituted, and to make a channel-bar a plain roll is put on top, the vertical rolls remaining the same.

The horizontal rolls, not being grooved, are more readily and accurately out than grooved rolls and may be turned from chilled metal, thus rendering them more durable than unchilled metal.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A compound or multiple universal rolling-mill comprising two sets of universal rolls, one set consisting of a pair of horizontal rolls and a pair of vertical rolls arranged out of alignment with the axis of the horizontal rolls, being constructed and adapted to roll and reduce the web and flanges of an L-beam or channel :bar in a vertical direction only, and the other set consisting of apair of horizontal rolls and a pair of vertical rolls in alignment with the axis of the horizontal rolls, being constructed and adapted to roll the bar or beam in a lateral direction only, the vertical rolls of both sets being combined with mechanism for positively driving them, substantially as described.

2. In a compound universal rolling-mill, the combination of two distinct sets of universal rolls arranged in proximity to each other and with their respective passes in horizontal alignment,one set comprising horizontal rolls and laterally-adjustable vertical rolls out of axial alignment with the horizontal rolls and the other set comprising horizontal rolls and laterally-adjustable vertical rolls in axial alignment therewith, substantially as de- 4 scribed.

3. The method of rolling I-beams or channel-bars, which consists in first reducing the web and flan gesby pressure normal to theplane of the web, and, second, in simultaneously supporting the web and inner faces of the flanges and rolling the parallel outer faces of the flanges, substantially as described.

4. In universal mills for rolling I-beams or channel-bars, the combination, with horizontal rolls one of which has a central enlargement or collar to roll and reduce the web of a beam, of horizontally adjustable vertical rolls mounted in sliding boxes, slotted guide-bars supporting said boxes and provided each with two wedges, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the vertical roll, wedge-slides bearing upon said boxes, and means for moving all said wedge-slides and thereby adj usting said vertical rolls simultaneously, substantially as described.

5. In universal mills for rolling I-beams or channel bars, the combination, with the horizontal rolls constructed and adapted to roll the web and flanges of an I-beam or channelbar, of the laterally-adj ustable vertical rolls arranged out of alignment with the horizontal rolls, the journal-boxes and supporting-bars of said vertical rolls, the wedge-slides impinging against said boxes, the pinions engaging with racks on said wedge-slides, the pinionshafts supporting said pinions, and the gearing coupled to said shafts, through which the slides are moved and the vertical rolls thereby adjusted, substantially as described.

6. In rolls for rolling I-beams or channelbars, the combination, of the horizontal rolls, a sliding pinion on the shaft of one of said horizontal rolls, a pair of vertical rolls located between the shafts of the horizontal rolls, pinions on the shafts of the vertical rolls engaging With said sliding pinions, sliding bearings in which said vertical rolls are mounted, having beveled rear faces, frames mounted on the housings in which said bearing-pieces slide, and wedge-slides passing through the housings in the rear of the bearing-slides, with racks formed on their upper edges and pinions engaging with said racks, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of September, 1891.

ABRAM REESE.

IVitnesses:

WV. L. RODGERS, J os. A. SHINN. 

